The TCF Culinary Arts Center-YESAM is organizing a culinary cultural tour to the city of Safranbolu, Turkey, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The tour is timed with the saffron harvest in this region and will take place on October 24-25. It will be led by İbrahim Canbulat, an architect and regional cuisine expert. For more information, please click here.

The third phase of the Spotlight on Turkey Program, “Portrait of Turkey,” will soon kick off now that the 2015 TCF Teacher Study Tours have successfully concluded. In summer 2015, 48 American teachers from 12 states had the unique opportunity to travel to Turkey and experience the country’s rich history and culture. Now, those teachers have returned to the U.S. and are excited to share their experiences with students, colleagues, and community members. TCF partners with the World Affairs Councils of America (WACA) for the Spotlight on Turkey Program, and in the coming months, participating councils will organize public workshops and other activities to introduce Turkish art and culture. Additionally, the teachers who returned from this year’s study tours are now busy developing lesson plans on Turkey in various subject areas. These lesson plans and more are available at TCF's Education Portal.

Emine Torgan of the TCF Cultural Preservation and Natural Dyes Laboratory-DATU participated in the 22nd National (Electron) Microscopy Congress EMK 2015 at Sabanci University in Istanbul on September 2-4. She gave a poster presentation entitled “Characterization by SEM-EDX of Metals in the some Ottoman Sultan Caftans.”  The Scientific Committee awarded second prize to Torgan’s poster presentation.

Dr. Recep Karadağ of the TCF Cultural Preservation and Natural Dyes Laboratory-DATU participated in a conference entitled, “Textiles of the Silk Road: Design and Decorative Techniques from Far East to Europe” at the Manggha Museum of Japanese Art and Technology in Krakow, Poland on September 11-13. He gave a presentation entitled “Characterization of Dyes, Metal Threads and Silk Yarns from 16–18th-Century Ottoman Silk Brocades.”

On September 15, YESAM hosted Sema Temizkan, Turkish food culture researcher and author, who presented a seminar entitled, "The Importance of Pickles in Turkish Cuisine." This seminar, discussed the history of pickles, how they are made, different types of pickles and historical pickle makers around Turkey. Past YESAM lectures are periodically uploaded for online viewing on the TCF Video Gallery.

Meanwhile, Turkish cooking traditions are highlighted every month with the YESAM Recipe of the Month, which this month features “Braised Bonito.” This dish is a favorite for the fall, as there is plenty of bonito - palamut in the seas around Turkey.

Seval Şener (TCF Cultural Exchange Fellow-2015), a painter and academician, attended the residency program of the Project Space "Circa...dit," Arnhem, Netherlands from August 17-September 6 to realize her two solo exhibitions and presentation on Contemporary Turkish Art.

Dr. Muzaffer Özgüleş, Zeynep Atbaş, Sibel Arça, İlknur Altın, Selda Alp, and Ömür Tufan (TCF Academic Fellow-2015) presented their papers at the 15th International Congress of Turkish Art (ICTA) in Naples, Italy from September 16-18.

Corinne Beardsley (TCF Cultural Exchange Fellow-2015), a sculptor, is attending the Artist-in-Residency program at Babayan Culture House Air, Cappadocia, Turkey, from September 10-October 8 to create artworks inspired by the landscape and culture and exhibit the sculptures and installations to the community.

Bora Uymaz (TCF Cultural Exchange Fellow-2015), singer and composer of traditional Turkish music, and harpist Şirin Pancaroğlu (TCF Cultural Exchange Fellow-2013 and 2014) is attending the residency program at Indiana University in Bloomington, USA from September 21-October 6 to give lectures, concerts and conduct scholarly research on involving intercultural topics Turkish music.